scaramouche-第81章
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〃About Aline？〃 he asked。 And himself answered his own question：
〃She is in Paris； and she must be brought out of it at once； before
the place becomes a shambles； as well it may once the passions that
have been brewing all these months are let loose。 Young Rougane's
plan is good。 At least； I cannot think of a better one。〃
〃But Rougane the elder will not hear of it。〃
〃You mean he will not do it on his own responsibility。 But he has
consented to do it on mine。 I have left him a note over my signature
to the effect that a safe…conduct for Mlle。 de Kercadiou to go to
Paris and return is issued by him in compliance with orders from me。
The powers I carry and of which I have satisfied him are his
sufficient justification for obeying me in this。 I have left him
that note on the understanding that he is to use it only in an
extreme case； for his own protection。 In exchange he has given me
this safe…conduct。〃
〃You already have it！〃
M。 de Kercadiou took the sheet of paper that Andre…Louis held out。
His hand shook。 He approached it to the cluster of candles burning
on the console and screwed up his short…sighted eyes to read。
〃If you send that to Paris by young Rougane in the morning；〃 said
Andre…Louis； 〃Aline should be here by noon。 Nothing； of course；
could be done to…night without provoking suspicion。 The hour is
too late。 And now； monsieur my godfather； you know exactly why I
intrude in violation of your commands。 If there is any other way
in which I can serve you； you have but to name it whilst I am here。〃
〃But there is； Andre。 Did not Rougane tell you that there were
others。。。 〃
〃He mentioned Mme。 de Plougastel and her servant。〃
〃Then why。。。 ？〃 M。 de Kercadiou broke off； looking his question。
Very solemnly Andre…Louis shook his head。
〃That is impossible；〃 he said。
M。 de Kercadiou's mouth fell open in astonishment。 〃Impossible！〃
he repeated。 〃But why？〃
〃Monsieur； I can do what I am doing for Aline without offending my
conscience。 Besides； for Aline I would offend my conscience and do
it。 But Mme。 de Plougastel is in very different case。 Neither Aline
nor any of hers have been concerned in counter…revolutionary work；
which is the true source of the calamity that now threatens to
overtake us。 I can procure her removal from Paris without
self…reproach； convinced that I am doing nothing that any one could
censure； or that might become the subject of enquiries。 But Mme。 de
Plougastel is the wife of M。 le Comte de Plougastel； whom all the
world knows to be an agent between the Court and the emigres。〃
〃That is no fault of hers；〃 cried M。 de Kercadiou through his
consternation。
〃Agreed。 But she may be called upon at any moment to establish the
fact that she is not a party to these manoeuvres。 It is known that
she was in Paris to…day。 Should she be sought to…morrow and should
it be found that she has gone； enquiries will certainly be made；
from which it must result that I have betrayed my trust； and abused
my powers to serve personal ends。 I hope； monsieur； that you will
understand that the risk is too great to be run for the sake of a
stranger。〃
〃A stranger？〃 said the Seigneur reproachfully。
〃Practically a stranger to me；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃But she is not a stranger to me； Andre。 She is my cousin and very
dear and valued friend。 And； mon Dieu； what you say but increases
the urgency of getting her out of Paris。 She must be rescued； Andre；
at all costs … she must be rescued！ Why； her case is infinitely
more urgent than Aline's！〃
He stood a suppliant before his godson； very different now from the
stern man who had greeted him on his arrival。 His face was pale；
his hands shook； and there were beads of perspiration on his brow。
〃Monsieur my godfather； I would do anything in reason。 But I cannot
do this。 To rescue her might mean ruin for Aline and yourself as
well as for me。〃
〃We must take the risk。〃
〃You have a right to speak for yourself； of course。〃
〃Oh； and for you； believe me； Andre； for you！〃 He came close to
the young man。 〃Andre； I implore you to take my word for that； and
to obtain this permit for Mme。 de Plougastel。〃
Andre looked at him mystified。 〃This is fantastic；〃 he said。 〃I
have grateful memories of the lady's interest in me for a few days
once when I was a child； and again more recently in Paris when she
sought to convert me to what she accounts the true political
religion。 But I do not risk my neck for her … no； nor yours； nor
Aline's。〃
〃Ah！ But； Andre。。。 〃
〃That is my last word； monsieur。 It is growing late； and I desire
to sleep in Paris。〃
〃No； no！ Wait！〃 The Lord of Gavrillac was displaying signs of
unspeakable distress。 〃Andre； you must！〃
There was in this insistence and； still more； in the frenzied
manner of it； something so unreasonable that Andre could not fail
to assume that some dark and mysterious motive lay behind it。
〃I must？〃 he echoed。 〃Why must I？ Your reasons；monsieur？〃
〃Andre； my reasons are overwhelming。〃
〃Pray allow me to be the judge of that。〃 Andre…Louis' manner was
almost peremptory。
The demand seemed to reduce M。 de Kercadiou to despair。 He paced
the room； his hands tight…clasped behind him； his brow wrinkled。
At last he came to stand before his godson。
〃Can't you take my word for it that these reasons exist？〃 he cried
in anguish。
〃In such a matter as this … a matter that may involve my neck？ Oh；
monsieur； is that reasonable？〃
〃I violate my word of honour； my oath； if I tell you。〃 M。 de
Kercadiou turned away； wringing his hands； his condition visibly
piteous； then turned again to Andre。 〃But in this extremity； in
this desperate extremity； and since you so ungenerously insist； I
shall have to tell you。 God help me； I have no choice。 She will
realize that when she knows。 Andre； my boy。。。 〃 He paused again；
a man afraid。 He set a hand on his godson's shoulder； and to his
increasing amazement Andre…Louis perceived that over those pale；
short…sighted eyes there was a film of tears。 〃Mme。 de Plougastel
is your mother。〃
Followed； for a long moment； utter silence。 This thing that he was
told was not immediately understood。 When understanding came at
last Andre…Louis' first impulse was to cry out。 But he possessed
himself； and played the Stoic。 He must ever be playing something。
That was in his nature。 And he was true to his nature even in this
supreme moment。 He continued silent until； obeying that queer
histrionic instinct； he could trust himself to speak without emotion。
〃I see；〃 he said； at last； quite coolly。
His mind was sweeping back over the past。 Swiftly he reviewed his
memories of Mme。 de Plougastel； her singular if sporadic interest
in him； the curious blend of affection and wistfulness which her
manner towards him had always presented； and at last he understood
so much that hithert had intrigued him。
〃I see；〃 he said again； and added now； 〃Of course； any but a fool
would have guessed it long ago。〃
It was M。 de Kercadiou who cried out； M。 de Kercadiou who recoiled
as from a blow。
〃My God； Andre； of what are you made？ You can take such an
announcement in this fashion？〃。
〃And how would you have me take it？ Should it surprise me to
discover that I had a mother？ After all； a mother is an
indispensable necessity to getting one's self born。〃
He sat down abruptly； to conceal the too…revealing fact that his
limbs were shaking。 He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to
mop his brow； which had grown damp。 And then；quite suddenly； he
found himself weeping。
At the sight of those tears streaming silently down that face that
had turned so pale； M。 de Kercadiou came quickly across to him。 He
sat down beside him and threw an arm affectionately over his shoulder。
〃Andre； my poor lad；〃 he murmured。 〃I。。。 I was fool enough to think
ou had no heart。 You deceived me with your infernal pretence； and
now I see。。。 I see。。。 〃 He was not sure what it was that he saw； or
else he hesitated to express it。
〃I： is nothing； monsieur。 I am tired out； and。。。 and I have a cold
in the head。〃 And then； finding the part beyond his power； he
abruptly
